McIntosh County Academy football coach indicted over hazing incident

ajc.com

Credit: Stan Awtrey

Credit: Stan Awtrey

Robby Robinson, fired last week as head football of McIntosh County Academy’s state runner-up team, was indicted Thursday on two misdemeanors and one felony over alleged hazing among players last summer, two newspapers reported Thursday afternoon.

Robinson was fired as athletics director last month and as football coach last week, according to the Florida Times-Union, which first reported the story of Thursday's indictments. The  Brunswick News reported that Robinson was suspended as a teacher but remains employed.

The grand jury indicated Robinson on two counts of misdemeanor reckless conduct and one count of misdemeanor hazing and one count of felony cruelty to children in the second degree, according to the Brunswick newspaper on its website goldenisles.news.

The incidents leading to the charges occurred in August. The GBI began investigating in September.

The mother of a McIntosh County Academy player told the Times-Union that her son suffered a concussion when blind-sided in a huddle by teammates during a preseason practice. The mother said her son was warned by players for not showing respect to the team's seniors. She said he suffered headaches and blurred vision and missed weeks of school.

The mother said that two other players were injured by teammates and that Robinson, despite being told of threats, did nothing to protect them, according to the Times-Union.

Robinson, in his second season as McIntosh County Academy’s coach, led the Buccaneers to a 10-3 finish and their first state-championship appearance in the program’s 36-year history.

Robinson is 139-81-1 in 19 seasons overall as a Georgia head coach. He has coached at Pike County (1993), Jackson (1994-95), Metter (2001-02), Fitzgerald (2003), MCA (2005-10, 2015-current) and Washington-Wilkes (2011-14). Robinson is one of only three active coaches to lead three schools to region titles.